Summerlin Parkway Explained

State:NV
Type:SR
Route:613
State Route 613
Alternate Name:Summerlin Parkway
Map Custom:yes
Map Notes:SR 613 highlighted in red
Length Mi:5.513
Length Ref:[1]
Established:1989
History:Opened in 1989 as Summerlin Parkway; designated as SR 613 by January 2019
Direction A:West
Direction B:East
Previous Type:SR
Previous Route:612
Next Type:SR
Next Route:646

State Route 613 (SR 613), better known as Summerlin Parkway, is a freeway in the western portion of the city of Las Vegas, Nevada, connecting Clark County Route 215 (CC 215) to Interstate 11 (I-11)/U.S. Route 95 (US 95) and serving the master planned community of Summerlin.

Route description

SR 613 begins at a signalized junction with access ramps to the Las Vegas Beltway (CC 215). The road becomes a full freeway just east of the intersection, and maintains this status as it heads eastward through Summerlin and Las Vegas. The freeway terminates at the interchange with Rainbow Boulevard (SR 595) and I-11/US 95, locally known as the "Rainbow Curve" interchange.

History

Summerlin Parkway was initially constructed by the developers of Summerlin through the Summerlin Homeowners Association. The first construction along the parkway, completed in 1989, consisted of rebuilding the US 95 interchange and constructing the divided highway west to Town Center Drive. Later projects funded by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada brought freeway interchanges to Buffalo Drive in 1992 and Rampart Boulevard in 1994.[2]

By 2000, Summerlin Parkway was built up to expressway standards to a western end at Anasazi Drive and by 2004 the expressway terminated at the Las Vegas Beltway.[3] A half-interchange was added at Durango Drive by 2005 and the Anasazi Drive intersection was converted to an interchange by 2006.[2] Also in 2005, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) had reconstructed the US 95/Rainbow Boulevard interchange as part of its US 95 widening project (including a new direct connection from eastbound Summerlin Parkway to US 95 north which was not constructed in 1989).[3]

An HOV flyover has been constructed in order to facilitate HOV movements between Summerlin Parkway and US 95 heading to and from downtown. The direct connection ramps opened in July 2012, even though Summerlin Parkway does not yet have HOV lanes.

In 2016, the City of Las Vegas installed a median cable barrier system in the median of Summerlin Parkway. The $2 million project was designed to reduce impacts from drivers losing control of vehicles into the landscaped median and prevent crossover collisions.[4]

In Spring 2017, several operational improvements along Summerlin Parkway were completed. The HOV lanes from US 95 were extended westward from Buffalo Drive to Durango Drive and new auxiliary lanes were completed westbound to Rampart Boulevard, both directions between Rampart Boulevard and Town Center Drive and eastbound between the CC 215 interchange and Anasazi Drive.[5]

By January 2019, maintenance responsibility for Summerlin Parkway had been transferred from the City of Las Vegas to the Nevada Department of Transportation; NDOT designated the freeway as State Route 613.[1]

The interchange of Summerlin Parkway and CC 215 will break ground in the second half of 2024.[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: State Maintained Highways of Nevada: Descriptions and Maps. Nevada Department of Transportation. Nevada Department of Transportation. January 2019. January 13, 2019.
  2. Web site: Summerlin Parkway project history. https://web.archive.org/web/20110313093322/http://www.summerlinparkway.com/history.htm. March 13, 2011. January 13, 2019.
  3. Web site: Summerlin Parkway. AARoads. October 16, 2005. January 30, 2013.
  4. News: Marroquin. Art. New cable barriers spring into action on Summerlin Parkway median. November 6, 2016. Las Vegas Review-Journal. November 12, 2016. subscription.
  5. News: Jaffe. Herb. Brace for another 15 months of Summerlin Parkway work. August 31, 2016. Las Vegas Review-Journal. February 11, 2017. subscription.
  6. https://www.fox5vegas.com/2024/01/08/110m-summerlin-parkway-interchange-project-start-later-this-year/